Casey Anthony Trial and 10 Other Controversial Legal Cases of 2011 [PHOTOS]

Photo: REUTERS/San Diego County Sheri

Rebecca Zahau

San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said investigators had ruled out foul play in the death of Rebecca Zahau, 32, shown in this undated photograph released by the San Diego County Sheriff Department September 2, 2011. Zahau was found dead, July 13, dangling by her neck from a courtyard balcony at the landmark Spreckels Mansion in Coronado, an upscale island beach resort.

Photo: REUTERS/San Diego County Sheri

China labors knocks at door of New Zealand

New Zealand, be short of workforce, become a goal of China who are seeking the ways for its superfluous skilled labors in the world.

Two nations are negotiating a free trade agreement, Beijing's Commerce Minister Bo Xilai suggested that China had skilled labor that could fill up the gaps in New Zealand's labor market. But Trade Minister Phil Goff on Wednesday said that was unlikely to happen unless China reciprocated by opening up its services sector.

It (China) is entitled to make the request but this does not indicate the request will be met, Goff said.

The minister said the government would not do anything hurting the wages and conditions of New Zealand workers.

On the contrary, the opposition Green Party said worsen local working conditions.

I think this question can be discussed between the two sides on the basis of mutual benefit, Bo told the New Zealand Herald newspaper Monday, after meeting with Goff in the northern city of Auckland.

But untill now, there has been no indication that China plans to open up its market to New Zealand service industries like insurance, banking and education, Goff said. said.

Photo: REUTERS/San Diego County Sheri

BofA modifies 56,000 mortgages under govt program

Bank of America Corp said on Thursday that it had modified roughly 56,000 customer mortgages so far this year under the primary U.S. government program aimed at preventing bank foreclosures.

The largest U.S. consumer bank said it had permanently amended nearly 24,000 customer mortgages in April under the U.S. government's Home Affordable Modification Program, or HAMP.

It has completed 600,000 modifications since the beginning of 2008, through a mix of government and bank-sponsored programs.

The government program allows a qualifying borrower to enter into a temporary mortgage modification through the bank, which then modifies the loan permanently after the three-month trial period.

Some politicians and consumer advocates have criticized the HAMP program -- which provides banks incentives to adjust delinquent mortgages -- for not doing enough to stem the tide of U.S. foreclosures.

Bank of America, one of the largest U.S. mortgage lenders, has been the recipient of much of that criticism.

Bank of America Chief Executive Brian Moynihan was both chastised and praised by homeowners at the company's annual meeting in April for its mortgage modification efforts.

Since taking the CEO post on January 1, Moynihan has called the effort to stem the tide of U.S. foreclosures one of the bank's main operational challenges.

Earlier this year, the bank announced plans to cut the principal due for a small subset of subprime mortgages.

Shares of Bank of America were down 4 cents at $17.03 in early trading.